Real Money

BJ Services' Profit Climbs

The company guides higher for the third quarter.

Shares of BJ Services ( BJS) rose Wednesday after the company beat second-quarter earnings estimates and said third-quarter results also would beat analysts' expectations.

The Houston-based oilfield services provider said earnings rose to $129.3 million, 79 cents a share, up from $49.5 million, or 31 cents a share, in the same period last year. The latest quarter included a $56 million patent-infringement award related to the company's Halliburton ( HAL) dispute.

Revenue rose to $658.7 million from $546.6 million; U.S./Mexico pressure pumping operations revenue rose 27%, resulting from a U.S. price book increase and a 15% average drilling rig count increase for the U.S. and Mexico combined. International pressure pumping revenue grew 6%.

Analysts had expected earnings of 41 cents a share, excluding the patent award, on revenue of $610.1 million. Thomson First Call reported that the company earned 45 cents a share, excluding the award.

For the third quarter, the company said it expects U.S. rig activity to average 3% to 4% higher than the second quarter and it anticipates the Canadian market will recover from its seasonal decline.

"For these reasons, we believe earnings will be in the 54-to-56 cent range for our fourth fiscal quarter and will be in the range of $2.16 to $2.18 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004," the company said.

Analysts had expected fourth-quarter earnings of 49 cents a share and full-year earnings of $1.73.